These aren't the days of old when San Antonio didn't get much love, no matter how much winning they did. This Spurs team hasn't won anything yet, but analysts and NBA fans alike are very intrigued by what's forming in Alamo City, and for good reason. As far as we can tell, this is a well put-together roster with star power.
That's why the guys at ESPN ranked the Spurs (along with the Hawks) as the two teams with expectations for the largest leaps from last year to the upcoming campaign. It's unfortunate that so many people have high hopes for Atlanta. It would be better for San Antonio if they had a catastrophic season since we have the right to a first-round swap in the 2026 draft, but I digress.
The Victor Wembanyama and De'Aaron Fox pairing is enough to bring the excitement to an all-time high for the Silver and Black, but they went out and stocked the roster with really solid players. However, it's a deep one, so you have to wonder how exactly they should use this talent.
What rotation would give the Spurs the best shot to take a leap?
The starting lineup with the highest ceiling is Fox, Stephon Castle, Devin Vassell, Jeremy Sochan, and Wembanyama. But in order for Sochan to supplant Harrison Barnes, his outside shot would need to have undergone an unrecognizable transformation. We saw him working it out a ton over the summer, and he's removed a lot of the hitch that caused inconsistency, but we need to see it in action.
Ben Simmons has corrupted folks and their hopes for offseason work translating to the NBA court. There have just been too many summer videos, showing the 6'10" point forward knocking down shot after shot, only to seem terrified to take them when the season began. It's unfair to other players, but it's the prevailing sentiment when training videos come out now.
Sochan is in another class than Barnes as a defender, and that's why it would be preferable for him to start. No matter what he does, it's unlikely that he will surpass HB in efficiency from outside. The former Sacramento King forward had a career year, shooting 43% from deep. The Polish Prince shot 31%. Taking a 12% leap in three-point shooting from one year to the next is unheard of.
But he doesn't need to pass him entirely. If he can shoot 37-38% (still a massive leap, I know), then he would be a better option. You could then let Barnes come off the bench to help the secondary unit stretch the floor, and give a Dylan Harper-led group a potent shooter to help open up the floor, so they can do damage in the paint.
A backup unit of Harper, Julian Champagnie, Keldon Johnson, Harrison Barnes, and Luke Kornet would have a great balance of shooters, defenders, and attackers. It's easy to see Mitch Johnson going 10-deep with this roster, and that's the best idea for a sustained attack without exhausting anyone. Rick Carlisle said it himself.